Women AND Men: Feeling Out of Whack? Check for Hormonal Imbalance

Yes, you read the title correctly: Hormonal imbalance can affect both women and men. While women are stereotypically associated with rises and falls in hormones due to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause, men are also affected, particularly in middle-age (a.k.a. “male menopause”).  

If either gender experiences certain symptoms, it’s worth a visit to a gynecologist to assess hormonal levels. These symptoms include:  Fatigue; headaches; decreased urine; weight gain; hair thickness changes (scalp or facial); inexplicable or erratic irritability, mood swings, or depression; prostate issues; infertility; muscle mass decrease; lower libido; or menopause symptoms before age 45. If this sounds relevant to you or someone you care about, read on about assessment and solutions to a possible hormonal imbalance.

Assessment

Hormone levels are usually measured via a blood test. Some of the hormones are measured at specific intervals during a monthly cycle, while others can be taken any time. Your practitioner will instruct you about the correct timing of each blood test.

Solutions

Hormones are affected by natural or artificial causes, and their solutions can be natural and/or medical.

The Natural Way: A Healthy Lifestyle
The first line of defense against hormonal imbalance is on lifestyle. Healthy sleep, nutrition, exercise regimens, low-to-moderate alcohol and caffeine intake, maintaining a healthy BMI (Body-Mass Index), and of course, no smoking – are first and foremost for balancing hormones. Beyond that, environmental toxins can also affect hormones, and advice can be given to avoid certain toxins, but others are, fortunately or unfortunately, part of living a modern lifestyle.  

Medications
Medical solutions include HRT (Hormonal Replacement Therapy) and specialized bio-identical hormones specifically offered by our Miami Center for Excellence. Bio-identical hormones are so-named because their molecules are the same as the hormones in question – estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol, DHEA, estradiol and estriol.

The Good News    

When symptoms as mentioned above – such as fatigue or low libido – are easily remedied by hormonal rebalance, people often breathe a sigh of relief. Be it healthy lifestyle changes or non-invasive medications, you could be feeling back to your energized self within a short time frame. Contact us for more information on hormonal  balancing for optimal well-being.